Starch product and method of making same



product and to a method of making same.

liquid laundry States The present invention relates to an improved starch the present invention relates to larly,

and to a method of making said laundry starch product product.

This application contains subject matter in common with our co-pending application Serial No. 7 94,859, filed February 24, 1959.

Specifically, the present invention relates to a liquid laundry starch composition which has relatively little tendency to .absorb moisture from the atmosphere after being applied to a fabric. The liquid laundry starch composition of the present invention also has a long shelf life over a wide temperature range, and is free from corrosive action on any metal objects which may be attached to the starched fabric.

Liquid laundry starches are Widely used in the home for starching because of their simplicity and economy of use, that is, they do not require cooking and preparation on the part of the user. In general, the liquid laundry starches avoid the lumpy compositions often prepared in 'the home and result in a more satisfactory starching operation because they are usually made from specially modified starches, and contain constant quantities of various adjuncts which enhance the ease of ironing and the finished appearance of the fabric.

Commercial liquid laundry starch products are essentially fluid dispersions of cooked starch. Such a colloidal system containing only starch and water is relatively unstable and will separate, thicken or gel to an irreversible and unusable state within a few hours or days. Cooling aggravates this condition. Consequently, to be a suitable article of commerce a liquid laundry starch product must be protected with additives against the adverse effects of prolonged storage over a wide range of temperatures.

In addition to storage life, the laundry starch product for use in the home depends upon the ease of application, freedom from deleterious action on fabric or equipment, and the quality of finish that it imparts to the starched material.

Furthermore, a liquid laundry starch must not take up water from the atmosphere after it is applied to a fabric. Present liquid laundry starches have a tendency to be hygroscopic, that is, to absorb water from the atmosphere, thus leaving the starched fabric in a limp, damp condition. Since starches are used to give fabrics a stiff neat appearance, a hygroscopic starch is very undesirable.

This is particularly true in areas of high humidity, such as the States which border on the Gulf of Mexico.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a starch which has relatively little tendency to take up Water from the atmosphere. A further object is to provide a liquid laundry starch which has no deleterious action on fabric or metal. Another object of the present invention is to provide a liquid laundry starch which has increased stability on prolonged storage over a wide range of temperatures.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid laundry starch having included therein a mixture of borax and boric acid in the approxito aboutl part 1 mate ratio of about 1.6 parts boric acid effectiveness of a liquid 3,05%,03? Patented Nov. 27., 1962 ice and.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel method of preparing a sprayable liquid laundry starch which will fulfill all of the objects and advantages sought therefor.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent hereinafter.

The present invention is embodied in a sprayable liquid laundry starch comprising starch, a mixture of boric acid and borax, and an ethoxylated castor oil ironing aid. More particularly, the present invention includes a liquid laundry starch comprising an oxidized starch, a polyethylene glycol ester of a fatty acid, a mixture of boric acid and borax, and a minor amount of an ethoxylated castor oil ironing aid. The present invention also comprises a method of preparing a sprayable liquid laundry starch comprising adding boric acid, borax and a polyethylene glycol ester of a fatty acid to a cooked dispersion of starch to form a concentrate which is added to about twice its volume of water containing an ethoxylated castor oil ironing aid. The invention further consists in the process hereinafter described and claimed and in the sprayable liquid laundry starch made by said process.

A detailed description of the present invention follows: Present liquid laundry starches contain a variety of additives, such as preservatives, anti set-back agents, coloring agents, perfumes, and ironing aids. These additives produce a variety of starch products, some more effective in one respect than another. In the present invention, a sprayable liquid laundry starch has been produced wherein the novel combinations of ingredients coact to provide a product which is substantially less hygroscopic than starches presently available. The novel ingredients in the present invention include a combination of borax and boric acid in the approximate ratio of about 1.6 parts boric acid to 1 part borax. From about 10% to about 47.5% and preferably 15% to 17.5%, boric acid and borax by weight based on the weight of starch should be used to produce a product having the desired properties.

Certain polyethylene glycol esters of fatty acids are also compounded into the present composition. Preferably, a combination of two different polyethylene glycol esters of fatty acids is used, since such a combination gives definitely superior results. However, a single polyethylene glycol ester of a fatty acid can be used. We prefer to use about 1% of each ester based on the weight of dry starch solids. If more than about 1% of these compounds is used, there are no deleterious effects on the final composition, however, the properties of the final composition are not enhanced by using excess reactant. As little as about 0.5% of a polyethylene glycol ester of a fatty acid can be used and still achieve substantially good results.

Polyethylene glycol esters of fatty acids having a molecular weight of from about 400 to about 1000 are preferably used. Specifically preferred are polyethylene gl col monostearate having a molecular weight of about 1000, and polyethylene glycol monolaurate having a molecular weight of about 400.

In preparing the liquid laundry starch composition of the present invention, it is preferred to use a hypochlorite oxidized corn starch. Although other starches such as wheat starch, potato starch, unmodified corn starch, etc., can be used, the oxidized corn starch produces a superior finish-on the starched fabric. The amount of starch used is from about 1.5% to about 5.0% by weight based on the total amount of water. Preferab y about 3.3% starch based on the total amount of water rs used.

agent, perfume and preservative are added to the cor position. If desired, a portion of the water may be Withliquid laundry starch compositions which are sold in conill bthel Wayscentrated form and diluted by the housewife the present h borax and boric acid also are added after h application relate to a liquid laundry starch Which is drs- OXi IZed Starch has been Pasteti Y 30 adding these pensed by a plunger type spray nozzle, or from an aerosolgredients, the final Starch Product has less hygmseopieity type container. and better cold stability than products compounded in The present composition includes at least about 0.5% other Waysand preferably about 1% of a suitable preservative, which 40 g of all ethbxyiated Castor Oil ironing aid are added may be a water soluble phenolic compound h as to water at a temperature of 100-125 F. and dispersed I'Cide A made by Dow Chemical Com y, r any therein. The amount of water is 10,000 g. or twice the other suitable starch preservat ve Al no bl j i amount of water as is in the liquid starch concentrate used in the present com o ition The liquid starch concentrate and the ironing aid In addition the present composition includes an rrondispersion are mixed With agitetibh- Agitation is 6011- ing aid which is an ethoxylated castor 011 From about tihued White Packaging- 210%, preferably about 8%, by ht b d on h The present invention also is embodied in a liquid i h f dry stalch f h jronmg ald is d laundry starch product having from about 1.5% to about he ethoxylated castor oil ironing aid is necessary be- 14% Starch, Water and from about to about cause the method Or application of the spray starch is of an ethbxyieted Castor Oil ironing aid This p drfferent from that used with a hqu d laundry Starch 1t tion also may have included therein the borax-boric acid results in a different distribution of the starch on the miXtllfe and the P y y giyebi esters of fatty acids garment to be ironed. Wnen conventional liquid laundry he? eihbefor e describedstarch is used, it is diluted and the cl h are dipped Thus it is seen that the present invention includes a into it The starch s therefore evenly d t b d liquid laundry starch composition that fulfills all of the throughout he cloth and has a chance to penetrate the obieets and advantages Sought thereforfibers The instant spray star h, o th th h d 13 This invention is intended to cover all changes and applied by spraying onto the u f f th l h d 1t modifications of the example of the invention herein is mucn more likely that localized areas will have relatrve- Chosen for P p of the disclosure, Which do not ly large amounts of starch which tends to remain upon Stittlte departures from the Spirit and Scope of the the surface rather than penetrating the fibers Without Vehtiohadditional ironing aid, these concentrations of starch What is Claimed is: stick to the iron ano become charred Wlth sulnerent A sprayable liquid laundry Starch composition r o d f th proper type, a smooth fi1 covers h sisting essentially of a cooked starch dispersion includstarch andpievents ti k d chamng ing water and about 1.5% to about 5.0% starch by Other substances such as fluorescent whitening agents Weight based on the Water, at least about 05% y Weight and perfume can be incorporated in the composition as of y Starch of a p y y glycol ester of a fatty desired. acid, from about 10% to about 47.5% by weight based The following is an example of a typical formulation On the Weight of dry Starch Of a mixture of belie held prepared accordmg t 11 ti d grves a more and borax wherein there are about 1.6 parts borrc acid delalled description of the method m which the sprayable to about 1 P born, a small but oflootivo portion of a liquid laundry starch product i prepared, germicide, and from about 2% to about 10% based on the weight of starch of an ethoxylated castor oil ironing EXAIVIPLE I aid L d Laundry 5 Concentrate 2. The composition set forth in claim 1 wherein said Water ams 5000 O starch is oxidizedcorn starch. P g i f gggf ggagg ggg SOO'O 3. The composrtron set forth in claim 1 Wherern tl1ere ig 5 acid b is 15-17.5% by weight based on the starch of a mixture Borax 6,5 1,151,555 borrc W1 9 P 1 th 1 T 4. The composition set forth 1n claim 3 wherein there 0 ye y eneg yco monostearate (mol' $000) 5 0 is about 2% by weight based on the weight of starch of a mixture of polyethylene glycol esters of fatty acids Polyethylene glycol monolaurate (11101 2 5 0 having a molecular Weight of from about 400 to about 1000. Fluorescent agent FT. 5. A sprayable liquid laundry starch consisting essen- Perfume, "Hummers tially of a cooked starch dispersion including water and Preservatlve about 3.3% starch by weight of the Water, about 1% by The Oxidized starch is Weighed added to the water weight based on the weight of dry starch of a polyethylene agitated, and cooked with live Steam f approximately glycol ester of stearic acid having a molecular weight of 30 minutes After thorough cooking, the pasted starch about 1000, about 1% y Weight based on the Weight of is cooled to approximately 180 F. At this temperature, y Starch Of a Polyethylene glycol ester of iallrie acid the borax and boric acid are added to the starch paste having a molecular Weight f about about y and mixed. Cooling and agitation are continued until weight based on the weight of dry starch of a mixture atemperature of approximately 160 F. is reached. The of boric acid and borax wherein there are about 16 two polyethylene glycol esters of fatty acids, polyethylene parts borrc acid to each 1 part borax approximately 1% glycol monostearate and polyethylene glycol monolaurate, by weight based on the Weight of dry starch of a germiare added at this point. Mixing and cooling are concide, and about 8% by Weight based on the weight of dry tinued until the composition reaches a temperature of starch of an ethoxylated castor oil ironing aid.

At this temperature, the fluorescent whitening 6. A method of preparing a sprayable liquid laundry starch including the steps of slurrying an amount of starch equal to a final concentration of about 1.5-5% by weight based on the water in a portion of the water, cooking the starch slurry to gelatinize the starch, cooling the gelatinized starch to about 180 F., adding thereto from about 1517.5% by weight based on the starch of a mixture of boric acid and borax wherein there are about 1.6 parts boric acid for each part borax, cooling the starch dispersion to about 160" E, adding thereto about 1% by Weight based on the dry starch of polyethylene glycol monostearate of molecular weight about 1000 and about 1% by weight based on the dry starch of polyethylene glycol monolaurate of molecular weight about 400, cooling the starch dispersion to about 100- 120 E, adding thereto a small but effective portion of a germicide, and diluting the dispersion to its final volume with Water having a temperature of about 100-125 F. and containing about 8% by weight based on the Weight of dry starch of an ethoxylated castor oil.

7. A liquid laundry starch 1.514% by about 10% comprising from about weight starch, water, and from about 2 to by weight based on the starch of an ethoxylated castor oil ironing aid.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES Warth: The Chemistry and Technology of Waxes, 2nd edition, Reinhold Pub. Corp., N.Y., 1956, pages 489-90. 

1. A SPRAYABLE LIQUID LAUNDRY STARCH COMPOSITION CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF A COOKED STARCH DISPERSION INCLUDING WATER AND ABOUT 1.5% TO ABOUT 5.0% STARCH BY WEIGHT BASED ON THE WATER, AT LEAST ABOUT 0.5% BY WEIGHT OF DRY STARCH OF A POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL ESTER OF A FATTY ACID, FROM ABOUT 10% TO ABOUT 47.5% BY WEIGHT BASED ON THE WEIGHT OF DRY STARCH OF A MIXTURE OF BORIC ACID AND BORAX WHEREIN THERE ARE ABOUT 1.6 PARTS BORIC ACID TO ABOUT 1 PART BORAX, A SMALL BUT EFFECTIVE PORTION OF A GERMICIDE, AND FROM ABOUT 2% TO ABOUT 10% BASED ON THE WEIGHT OF STARCH OF AN ETHOXYLATED CASTOR OIL IRONING AID. 